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Wednesday, July 15, 2015

We all Scream for Ice Cream (and Fireworks)

I spent my formative years summering on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, so I have fond memories of spending July 4th clam baking, lobster rolling and BBQing on
the beach, followed up with a viewing of the famous
Oak Bluffs fireworks. While it's hard to recreate that particular experience living in a desert climate 3000 miles away, I think I made a pretty good showing for C's third Independence Day (and the first one he was able to enjoy).

I managed to bring a little bit of that East Coast holiday goodness into play thanks
(again) to our friends at Knuckle and Claw and their spectacular Lobster
Roll. For good measure (and because what's a good ol' fashioned American holiday without a little gluttony) I also added a blue crab roll to the mix. That's how we do the Fourth of July, LA style, amiright? After all that indulgence, we rolled ourselves home to enjoy a set (or 17) of some good old-fashioned
fireworks.

I admit that living in the hills can be annoying if you forget an ingredient at the grocery
store, but living far away from the hubbub of the city definitely has its
advantages. From the comfort of our very own deck, and with cocktails in hand, we were able to catch the
Universal City fireworks and just about every other celebration that took place
in the San Fernando Valley. Watching C's amazement, as opposed to outright fear this time around, was a true joy. Truthfully, I’m
not sure if it was the fireworks or the homemade ice cream that had him loving
life.

Yep, that's how we roll here at Casa Haas: it's not a holiday until the homemade desserts make an appearance.

If I had to live on a desert island with only one food for
the rest of my life, that food would, hands down, be ice cream. So much so that
I even founded United Scoops of America (trademark currently pending). While
it’s still being made out of my home kitchen, my American dream is to one day
have a shop of my own. None of you have signed NDAs so I’ll forgo sharing the
shop’s clever concept (unless one of you is a willing investor, in which case –
hit me up on Instagram) so you'll just have to make due with a recipe for C’s favorite flavor: Strawberry Basil.

Strawberry Basil Ice Cream

Ice cream is super easy to make, and always impresses husbands, guests, and small humans.

If desired, five minutes before it's done, squeeze some
balsamic glaze into the mix. Careful not to overdo it, just enough to add some
contrast, or not at all if the basil is enough of a variant for you.

Transfer
to ice cream cartons (available at Smart & Final).

Serve immediately if you
want soft serve, or harden in the freezer for an hour before eating if you prefer scooped ice cream. If left in the freezer for more than an hour, take it out to
thaw a bit before serving as the water content of the berries hardens it more
than any of my other flavors.

For true ice cream enjoyment, eat your ice cream Caleb-style: scoop into a
cone, top with sprinkles and devour the taste of summer and Independence.